Condo Blues

Sunday, October 2, 2016

How to Make a Reusable Light Up Teal Pumpkin for Halloween

Handing out Halloween candy and ooh-ing and ah-ing over every costumed person who comes to our door is one of things Husband enjoys most on Beggar's Night.

That and testing our Halloween candy for Quality Assurance while waiting for the Trick or Treaters to come to our porch. That was one of my favorite parts of Halloween until I because a card carrying member of the Food Allergy Club. Sad face.

It is a bummer to find almost everything in the candy aisle at the store is something I shouldn’t eat but has to worse for a kid on Halloween.  The minute I found out about the Halloween Teal Pumpkin Project I added allergy free treats for the food allergy kids to what we give out on Halloween.

The only thing missing is a teal pumpkin to let food allergy kids and their parents that we have their back this Halloween.

 Pin this Halloween craft idea for later!

A Quick and Easy LED Teal Jack o Lantern Tutorial

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Friday Favorites Linky Party - Week 340

I have an exciting project I want to tell you about. I opened a funny t shirt and gift Zazzle store LNW Creative Gifts!

Even better, you can customize my products to suit your fancy!

Pin my store for easy shopping!

Want a purple Queen of Everything Crown No Slip Headband instead of the pink shown here? Done!

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Renaissance Noble Dress Part 1: The Design

I need to replace my current Elizabethan noble costume with a new one.

Unfortunately I am my own worst client because the only thing I know that I want in my new princess type dress is this list of vague demands:
  1. Make it different than what other women will most likely we wearing.
  2. Use massive amounts of embroidery to help with Number 1 and give me a Sofa Time With Lacey project.
  3. Use as much of my beading, trim, and costuming stash as possible. It should also help with number 1 but really I just want to put some of the weird amounts of stuff in my studio to good use.
  4. Bling that sucker out to be a pretty, pretty princess of more is more epic proportions – as one does as an Elizabethan noblewoman. I realize this is not in line with being a simplistic budget minded green DIY blogger. But it is totally in line with being a person who spends most of her workdays covered in paint and sawdust while wearing yoga pants and a ratty t-shirt.

Pin this post for reference later!



I let the fabric I found decide my costume’s color scheme since many of the accessories I have will work with almost any color. The color specific items I have  need to be replaced anyway.  I was hoped I could find a green brocade or damask because I look smashing in green.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Friday Favorites Linky Party - Week 339


Last weekend, I did a Last Blast of Summer Tour by skipping up the road a bit to attend Bloggy Conference 2016 at Cedar Point. 

Tiff knocked it out of the park organizing and planning the conference this year! I learned quite a bit and paid it forward by being the Squad Leader for DIY bloggers during our community breakout sessions.  What's also nice about BloggyCon is being able to spend the evening in Cedar Point after our sessions finished for the day.


Sponsor Lake Eries Shores and Islands gave me the excuse to wiggle my toes in the sand of Cedar Point Beach (how I miss it!)

 I hugged a big cow named Big Cow and tagged it #Big #Cow for a very meta experience courtesy of Ohio made sponsor Udderly Smooth (if you follow me @condoblues on Instagram you would have seen it in real time!)

Not to mention, I named my new Rexy friend Snuggles and asked Husband if I could bring him home with me because we have the same smile. Husband and Lacey vetoed adding Snuggles to our family. Sad face.

Let's party!

 photo Friday Favorites Banner 2.jpg

Sunday, September 18, 2016

How to Make a Quick and Easy Wine Cork and Mason Jar Centerpiece

After I decorated my outdoor patio for Fall, I took a step back and realized something was missing from my DIY chalkboard patio table and DIY bottle cap mosaic chairs.

I need an Autumn table centerpiece!




My Fall centerpiece idea was heavily influenced by the growing number of empty mason jars drying in the dish rack (not to mention Husband’s do something with these will ya? look when he empties the dishwasher) and the wine corks in our kitchen wine cork basket waiting for a craft project (and more Husband’s do something with these will ya? look when he sees them taking up counter space.)

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Friday Favorites Linky Party - Week 338

  Happy Almost Weekend everyone!

I am loving the unseasonably warm weather! I decorated my patio for fall and plan to eat as many dinners outside until the snow flies. 

I love, love, love when thrifting and shopping the house comes together in a new to me design!

Ready to party? Show me what you got!

 photo Friday Favorites Banner 2.jpg

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

How to Decorate a Small Patio for Fall

This post is sponsored by Enbrighten Café Lights by Jasco. All thoughts and opinions are my own #EnbrightenLights


I want to make our small patio more inviting for evening entertaining this fall.

Pin these Fall outdoor decorating ideas for later!

The planter box I built for Husband’s container kitchen garden adds a little privacy since our condo homeowners association will not allow us to install a fence.

And we get fresh herbs and peppers, yay!